Lord Hastings to John Paston
- Medieval Family Life
- Title
- Lord Hastings to John Paston
- Reference
- Add. 43490, f. 44
- Date
- ?26 April 1474
- Library / Archive
-
- The British Library
- Transcript location(s) in printed volume(s)
- Gairdner, Vol V, item 847; Fenn, Vol II, Appendix Edward IV item 5
- Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (1st transcript)
-
LETTER V.
To my right trusty and welbeloved S’vn’t John Paston Squier.
JOHN PASTON I recomāunde me unto you. And whereas
I appointed and desired you to goo over unto Guysnes to
yeve youre attendaunce and assistaunce upon my brother Sr. Rauf
Hastings in all suche things as concerne the suretie and defense
of the Castell of Guysnes during his infirmyties. It is shewed
unto me that ye have full truely and diligently acquyted you
unto my saide Brother in all his besynesses sithe your comyng
thider Whereof I thanke you hertly. And as I conceive to my
grete comfort and gladnesse my saide brother is wele recov’ed
and amended thanked be God. And soo I truste he may nowe
spare you. Wherupon I have writen unto him, if he may
soo doo, to licence you to come over unto me ayen. Wherefore
I woll and desire you thaffent of my saide brother had, to dispose
you to come over in all goodly haste as well for suche grete
maters as I fele by youre ffrends ye have to doo here, as to
yeve youre attendaunce upon me. And your retourne ye shall
be to me welcome, ffrom london the xxvj day of Aurill.I p[SYM] you in no wise to dep’t as yet wtout my brother Roaf
asent and agremet’ and recomand me to my Syst’ all my nices to
ye Constabell and to all Ryues.Yr tru frend,
1 Hastyngs.
8 ½ by 5 ½.
Paper Mark,
Part of an Animal. Pl. XII. No 21
The other part is cut off.London,
26th of April,
147—, E. IV.This Letter as far as ?xxvj day of Aurill,” is written by the Secretary of the Lord
Hastyngs, from thence to the end by that Nobleman himself, in a hand almost illegible.John Paston appears here to have been in the service of, and so highly respected by, the
Lord Hastyngs, as to be sent as a kind of deputy Governor of the Castle of Guisnes,
during the illness of his Brother Sir Ralph Hastyngs.The style and manner of spelling in this Letter, differ so little from the modern, that
it is scarcely possible to conceive that it should have been written above 300 years agone,
and though the Letter itself contains no remarkable circumstance, yet being the private
Letter of a man so well known in our History, it must be esteemed a great curiosity.1 William Hastyngs, Lord Hastyngs, was summoned to parliament in 1461, 1 E. IV.
He was Lieutenant of Calais, and enjoyed several High Offices of Trust and Confidence,
in the reign of Edward IV.—He married Catherine, Daughter of Richard Neville, Earl
of Salisbury, and was beheaded in the Tower, by the instant order of Richard, Duke of
Gloucester, on the 13th of June, 1483. Pl. IV. No 7. - Transcript from John Fenn, 'Original Letters, written during the reigns of Henry VI., Edward IV., and Richard III…. Volume II' (2nd transcript)
-
LETTER V.
To my right trusty and wellbeloved Servant, John Paston, Esquire.
JOHN PASTON, I recommend me unto you. And whereas
I appointed and desired you to go over unto Guisnes to give
your attendance and assistance upon my brother Sir Ralph Hast-
ings in all such things as concern the surety and defence of the
Castle of Guisnes during his infirmities. It is shewed unto me
that ye have full truly and diligently acquited you unto my said
Brother, in all his Businesses since your coming thither. Whereof
I thank you heartily. And as I conceive to my great comfort
and gladness, my said brother is well recovered and amended,
thanked be God. And so I trust he may now spare you.
Whereupon I have written unto him, if he may so do, to
licence you to come over unto me again. Wherefore I will and
desire you, the assent of my said brother had, to dispose you to
come over in all goodly haste, as well for such great matters, as
I feel by your Friends, ye have to do here, as to give your
attendance upon me. And (at) your return, you shall be to me
welcome. From London, the 26th day of April.I pray you in no wise to depart as yet, without my brother
Roaf’s assent and agreement; and recommend me to my Sister,
all my Nieces, to the Constable, and to all Reeves.Your true Friend,
1 HASTYNGS.
8 ? by 5 ?.
Paper Mark,
Part of an Animal. Pl. XII. No 21
The other part is cut off.London,
26th of April,
147—, E. IV.This Letter as far as ?xxvj day of Aurill,” is written by the Secretary of the Lord
Hastyngs, from thence to the end by that Nobleman himself, in a hand almost illegible.John Paston appears here to have been in the service of, and so highly respected by, the
Lord Hastyngs, as to be sent as a kind of deputy Governor of the Castle of Guisnes,
during the illness of his Brother Sir Ralph Hastyngs.The style and manner of spelling in this Letter, differ so little from the modern, that
it is scarcely possible to conceive that it should have been written above 300 years agone,and though the Letter itself contains no remarkable circumstance, yet being the private
Letter of a man so well known in our History, it must be esteemed a great curiosity.1 William Hastyngs, Lord Hastyngs, was summoned to parliament in 1461, 1 E. IV.
He was Lieutenant of Calais, and enjoyed several High Offices of Trust and Confidence,
in the reign of Edward IV.—He married Catherine, Daughter of Richard Neville, Earl
of Salisbury, and was beheaded in the Tower, by the instant order of Richard, Duke of
Gloucester, on the 13th of June, 1483. Pl. IV. No 7. - Transcript from James Gairdner, 'The Paston Letters, A.D., 1422-1509, New Complete Library Edition, Volume V'
-
847
LORD HASTINGS TO JOHN PASTON1
To my right trusty and welbeloved servaunt,
John Paston, Squier.JOHN PASTON, I recommaunde me unto you. And
whereas I appointed and desired you to goo over unto
Guysnes to yeve youre attendaunce and assistaunce upon
my brother Sir Rauf Hastings in all suche things as concerne
the suretie and defense of the Castell of Guysnes during his
infirmyties; it is shewed unto me that ye have full truely and
diligently acquyted you unto my saide brother, in all his
besynesses sithe your comyng thider. Whereof I thanke you
hertly. And as I conceive to my grete comfort and gladnesse,
my saide brother is wele recovered and amended, thanked be
God. And soo I truste he may nowe spare you. Wherupon
I have writen unto him, if he may soo doo, to licence you to
come over unto me ayen. Wherefore I woll and desire you,
th?assent of my saide brother had, to dispose you to come over
in all goodly haste, as well for suche grete maters, as I fele by
youre ffrends, ye have to doo here, as to yeve youre attendaunce
upon me. And your retourne ye shall be to my welcome.From London, the xxvj. day of Avrill.
2I pray you in no wise to depart as yet without my brother
Roaf asent and agrement; and recommaund me to my syster,
all my nieces, to the constabyll, and to all Ryves [reeves].Your tru frend, HASTYNGES.
1 [From Fenn, ii. 296.] I cannot discover in what year John Paston could have
been staying at Guisnes during the month of April at the request of Lord Hastings,
unless it was in the year 1474. There seems no other probable year in which we
have not distinct evidence of his being elsewhere.2 This postscript is in the writer?s own hand, the preceding part of the letter being
in that of a clerk. A fac-simile of the postscript is given by Fenn.1474(?)
APRIL 26